Nomads gets OK for events in San Clemente

City Hall will allow Nomads Canteen, a successful new business in San Clemente, to host 14 special events through the end of the year.

The City Council this week ratified a decision by the city’s zoning administrator to approve a special-activities permit conditionally allowing special events on an outdoor deck at 102 Avenida Cabrillo including screening of surf films and surf slide shows on a wall.

At a Sept. 18 hearing before the city’s zoning administrator, the permit was approved but not until after prolonged discussions. Hotel San Clemente manager Shannon Fox said that 18 of her tenants’ apartments face Nomads and there has been noise, vandalism, intoxicated people vomiting and people sleeping in cars since Nomads opened, the meeting minutes said.

Jeff Gourley, owner of Nomads, said at the hearing that he doesn’t believe his patrons are doing those things. He said he has security guards and sells only beer and wine, unlike other downtown taverns. He said he has toned down the type of bands that play indoors at Nomads.

The City Council called up the zoning administrator’s decision for discussion Tuesday and, after deliberations, agreed 5-0 to let it stand, based on Gourley’s pledge to work things out with Hotel San Clemente and city staff’s statement that the city can control the activities, including revocation of the permit if there are problems.